1 Dethroned Empress

I, Hestia Bellmore, am trembling in fear as my governess's head rolled over my feet. My whole body trembled as fresh crimson blood gushed out of her severed neck. Her honey brown eyes hollow and unseeing as they gazed at the downcast sky above. Mud and tears stained her pale cheeks, mouth hanging open as if she was halfway from pleading for mercy. Mercy that never came.

"Kill them! Kill that family of demons!"

"Chop their head off!"

"The Empress's head. We want the Empress's head!"

The people of Graceland cheered in front of me. Muck and feces were thrown in my direction. The white silk dress I've worn four days ago on my coronation day was now covered in blood and filth. For the first time in my life, I was scared. I looked at the blade used to kill my nanny. Thick crimson blood dripped from its tip and fall on the wooden platform. The sight of it makes me shiver in fear.

I felt a heavy tug on the hem of my dress, it made me jump and abruptly turn.

Leon's pitiful form greeted my sight. The face that once had been the downfall of all societies' debutants, his angelic form that could seduce anyone in a heartbeat is now down on his knees, rubbing his black and blue face in my skirt, his whole body shaking in terror.

"Hest- Big sister! Big sister, I don't want to die, please. I'm scared. Save me, sister, I will do anything you ask. I'll always listen to you. Just, please save me," Leon pleaded. His bound hands clutching my ruined dress.

My heart constricted at his words. Big sister, Leon called me that once a long time ago. In the past, I despised him calling me that. Despised him and his brother. I've verbally abused him at any turn just because I could and because he, his mother, and brother coveted what was above their lowly status. Daring to climb the prestigious walls of the Bellmore dukedom.

I've never treated them well. Always finding fault in everything they do. Always reminding them of their unworthiness of the Bellmore name. I dragged them to my schemes, pit them on the fires I make, not worried that they will die in the process. Just because I wanted the attention of one man, I was willing to sacrifice their lives.

But hearing those words now is like a slap to my face.

This is my brother. Even though we are not bound by blood, he is still my brother. It is clear to me now that I have wronged them.

I kneeled in front of him not minding that the hard planks biting on my bruised knees. I looked at him. His whole form was shaking uncontrollably. He's afraid to die. Oh, Leon.

"It's alright, Leon. The Emperor will set us free once he sees me being treated this way. You'll see, he will save us." I said, my voice full of conviction. "He will come to his senses. I know he also feels affection for me, he will not abandon me because I'm his wife," I assured him and tried to hold his hands with my bound ones. His whole form stilled and his battered face stiffened.

"Pfft! Hahaha!" He then laughed. Laughed until the crowd goes silent and his voice echoed through the four corners of the plaza.

"Delusional…"

"Le-Leon," I tried to hold him again but he slapped my hands and fixed me with a vicious glare, his eyes burning with unconstrained hatred.

"Don't touch me, you delusional witch! This is all your fault! If you did not manipulate us into doing those vile things, threatened us to commit crimes for you and your ambition, then poor brother's lifeless body will not swing on that scaffold!" he bellowed as he toppled over me bringing his bound hands to my neck, gripping it tightly, cutting any air from entering my lungs.

The whole crowd cheered from below. Everyone was clamoring as they were allowed to witness those who belong to the nobility fight like rabid dogs seconds away from their execution. Their thirst for the Bellmore blood will not be sated not until they witness our heads roll or our body hanged but a bit of entertainment on the side would not hurt as long as the end is still the same.

I called out to the guards standing on the edge of the platform to get Leon off me. But I was met with empty eyes devoid of sympathy. There was once a time that with only the snap of my hand every one of them would clamor to bid my wishes. But now I am treated like mud stuck beneath their boots.

I was on my own, I tried to kick Leon but he pressed his whole weight on me. My hands dug on his wrist and blood welled as they viciously bit through the tender skin. Leon didn't even flinch when I fiercely drag my nails in his arms. His wild eyes were solely centered on my neck the whole time, brutally squeezing them with his bare hands.

When that method did not work, I changed my tactics and grabbed a chunk of his fake long, blond hair. The hair was sewn by the guards on his scalp last night before raping him brutally. His prison cell was opposite mine and I had borne witness to the whole ordeal he had endured until daybreak. I could still hear the echoes of savage slapping of skin, lewd grunts of the soldiers, and horrific wails of Leon. The wig was tightly sewn and left as it is to further humiliate her exquisite-looking brother.

With a fierce tug, Leon cried out and fell beside her. It was then that he was dragged away by the guards. I looked at him helplessly, my once stunning brother reduce to this state.

But Leon wasn't finished, his inhuman eyes crave my death, and he successfully extricated himself from the guards and charge at me again.

A shadow fell on us followed by a glint of a sword. as swift as an arrow, the sword swung before my eyes, and my face was then splashed with crimson blood. I screamed when I saw my brother's neck sliced open. A deep cut etched on his slender neck, bloodshot eyes wide and mouth hanging open. His knees gave out. Gasping for air. Writhing in pain and holding his neck to stop the blood from gushing out all the while looking at me. His eyes pleading for help. With a rasping voice, he begged me for one final time, "Sister, s-save me."

My precious brother fell on the scaffold. His lifeless body lay on the mud.

A sob left my trembling lips as a palace guard carelessly drag him by the foot and tossed him into a horse-drawn cart brimming with my family servants' corpse.

My gaze turned to the other scaffold where my elder brother's corpse swing gently. Father and mother will be granted a more lenient punishment by drinking poison after I die but we who had committed the grave sin were brought to the plaza for everyone to witness our death for our crimes- No, my crimes alone. My brothers were innocent and were only dragged by me to this hell.

With all my family gone, it was then that I realized how my greed, my twisted love, my obsession had brought my own family to ruin.

The heaviness of a sword set on my shoulder turned my blood cold. I dared not make any sudden movements when I felt its sharp edge digging on my pale neck. My heart drummed inside my chest and pure horror gripped my whole being.

"The Bellmore family never ceases to amaze me. Even on the brink of death, you still entertain us like a bunch of clowns. Tell me, Hestia Bellmore, how should you like me to end your pathetic life?" the man holding the sword taunted.